AMUSEMENT TAX.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16148, 28 February 1918, Page 7

AMUSEMENT TAX.

9 I AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIE-S | CLAIM RELIEF. | (FREaS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) | WELLINGTON, February 27. A deputation representing the Council of Agriculture, waited upon the Minister or Financc to-day to ask that Agricultural and Pastoral Associations should be relieved from payment of the amusement tax. Mr F AY. "Williams, president of the conference, said tlio application ol the tax to these associations meant onlj £1500 to £2000 to tho Government) but it would forco somo of the smaller organisations out of existence. j-hc deputation did not ask for tho liftui D of the tax on side-shows. Sir Joseph Ward, in replying, said the tax could not bo altered at present, since the consent of Parliament would be required. If the tax, as it affected agricultural and pastoral associations uid not produce more than £1.500 a year, he would be prepared to give favourable consideration to the request for its removal, r0 " venue was larger—say £10,000—there could be no question of abandoning it without imposing other taxation in its place. Ho felt, as Minister of Finance, that ho could not consent to loss ot revenue at tho present time. lie •would be glad, if it wero possible, to place all taxation on a broad basis, but the prime necessity was the obtaining of the millions the Government required. If the end of the war came twclvo months hence, New Zealand would have to faco.an increased lia- i bility for interest on war loans at £7,000,000 per annum. The people l Generally wero responding magmficentfv to tho demands made upon them for war taxation. The Minister premised to see that the basis of the amusement tax, as it affected thes associations, was the same in all cases. There liad been various interpretations of the Act in tho past.